Car-step.



No.'827,z4o. A 4 -1 ATBNTBD vJULY 31, l1906.

` 0.0. HUMMEL. l

GAR STEP.

Arrmonlon r1LnD'rEB.a. 1ooe n (5\ 2 SHEETS-snm 1.

1N: Nmmls PETERS lcn.. WASHINGTON. nrs.

110.827,240. l PATENTED JULY a1, 19.06.

' o. C.' HUMMEL.

GAR STEP. APPLIOATION FILED $113.8.' 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET. 2.

THE NaRRls PETERS col wAsHINcraN. n, c.

' UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

CHARLES o. HUMMEL, OF ESPY, PENNSYLVANIA. CAR-STEP.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 31, 1906.

Appumuon ne@ February 8,1906. serai No. 300,116.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES C. HUMMEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Espy, in the county of Columbia and State of Cennsylvania, have invented certain new an a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same. v

This invention relates to improvements in steps for the platforms of railway-cars, streetvears, and the like, and more particularly toy -improvements upon the car-step set Yforth in Patent No. 792,215, granted to me June 13,

. is a vertical transverse'sectional view through myimproved folding car-steps in their lowered position. 4 Fig. 2 lis a similar view through the same in their closed or folded position. Fig. 3 is a front viewof the steps in the position shown in Fig. 2,' and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the third or lowermost step 4and its connected parts. A

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes a portion of a railway car or any other movable or stationary object, and 2 denotes my improved folding steps, which are adapted when folded to form an extension or continuation of the platform 1 and close the usual openin occupied by the steps when in their lowere or open position. 'With the exception of the third o r lowermost step the steps 2 and the operating devices therefor are the sa'me as set forth in my patent previously referred to. They are mounted in a which depends from a channel-beam 4, disposed beneath the platform 1. The frame 3 comprises parallel side pieces or plates 5, which are connected by a bottom piece yor plate 6. The steps 2 consistof two vtreads 7 8 and two risers 9 10. The uppermost riser 9 is secured to the beam 4, and the sec- 'ond riser 10 is fixed-to lthe outer edge of the useful Improvements-in Car-Steps; and I do declare the following to be frame 3,l

tread 7 a right-angular position. The

tread 7 isy connected by a hinge l1 to the bottom of the riser 9, so that the former is adaptedto fold up against the latter and. bring the riser 10 in .a-horizontal position in the plane of the platform'l, as shown in Fig. 2. The tread 8 is hingedlyconnected to the riser 10, as at 12, and has secured upon its under side the rearwardly-projectin stops 13, which are adapted to engage ang rest upon the bottom 6 when the steps are in their lowered po# l sition in order to limit their downward movement and support the tread 8 in a hori-` zontal position. Said stops 13 are also adapted to engage the under face of the riser 10 when the steps are in their` elevated or folded position, so as to support the tread 8 in a horizontal position in `the plane of the platform 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The steps are actuated by levers 14, which are pivotedat 15 to the sides 5 of the frame 3 inv alinement with the hinges 11. The lower ends of said levers are pivotally connected at 17 to the r'ear of the tread 8 in alinement with said hinges 12. The upper or free ends of the levers are vconnected by a rod or bar` 19,

v which has one of its ends pivotally connected a link 24. The latter has its opposite end similarly connected to an operto one end` of ating hand-lever 20, which is suitably mounted upon the end of the car or other support. It will be seen that when the hand-lever 20 is operated the levers 14 will. be shifted to either of their two positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that the steps will be either opened or closed. Any other suitable operating device may be provided. The lsteps maybe retained in their elevated or closed positionishown in Fig. 3) by any suitable means; but I preferably employ the pivoted catch 30, the construction and operation of which will be readily understoodupon reference to my patent previously referred to.-

My improvements to the above-described steps consist in a third or which is pivotally supported from the second step 8 and is adapted to be raised or lowered when the steps 2 areactuated. The step y50 consists of a tread 51 and a riser 52. The latter is secured to the under side of the tread 8 in a right-angular position, and when in Fig. 1,

the steps are opened or lowered, as it is adapted to bear against the forward edge of the bottom 6 of the lframe 3. lThe tread 51 is hingedly connected to the riser 52, as

TOO lowermost step 50,

IlO

shown at 53, andhas secured upon` its ends segmental-shaped plates 54, to which are secured substantially right-angularly shaped links or levers 55. The latter have their ends 56 pivoted concentric with the hinge 53 and their curved or bent opposite ends 57 pivoted at 58 to the side plates 5 ofthe frame 3, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. Owing to the shape of the links 55 and the arrangement of their pivots and the hinge 53, it will be seen that when the steps are in their lowered or open position, as in Fig. 1, the said links and their attaching-plates 54 will support the step 51 in a horizontal position and that when the steps are folded, as in Fig, 2, the links 55 by reason of their pivotal connection with the frame 3 at 58 will swing the tread 51 up against the riser 52 as the latter is carried upwardly by the tread 8, to which it is rigidly secured. It will be noted that this third or lowermost step is of simple, durable, and compact construction and that it is much safer and convenient than other devices of this character.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, operation, and advantages of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as dened by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a pivoted step,

means to raise and lower the same and means 4o to support said step when lowered, a supplementary step having its riser fixed to and depending from the tread of the iirst-mentioned step and its tread pivotally connected to said riser, a ixed support, and a link pivoted to said support and connected to said supplementary step to turn the tread of the latter upwardly and dispose the same parallel with the riser of the said supplementary step when the iirst-mentioned step is raised.

2. The combination with a support or frame having sides and a bottom, a swinging step adapted to be supported horizontally upon said bottom, means for operating said step, a second step pivotally supported from the iirst-mentioned step, and links pivoted upon said support and connected to the second mentioned step, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In combination with a supporting device, a pivotally-mounted step, a lever having a pivot concentric with that of said step, a second step pivotally connected to the firstmentioned step and adapted when lowered to rest upon said supporting device, a third step pivotally connected to the second-mentioned step, and an operating connection connected to the last-mentioned step and pivot ally connected to said supporting device, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence ot two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES C. HUMMEL.

Witnesses:

B. F. SCHOLLENBERGER, H. C. LAUBAoI-I. 

